B67 P5 
opy 1 




REPORT 

FROM THE 



Superintendent of Crusts, 



IN RELATION TO THE 



BOUDINOT LANDS, 



SITUATED ON THE 




SUSQUEHANNA RIVER, 

IN 

Burnside Township Centre County, Pa. 

CONTAINING 13,185 ACRES. 
AND 

Report of the Re-Survey of the Same, 

' BY JOS. F. QUAY. 

hi 

PHILADELPHIA: 

HUFTY, STATIONER. 

1860. 



6 




A 




CONTENT OF THE SEVERAL TEACTS OF LAND, 
CONTAINED ON THIS MAP. 

AOBES 

1. ThomaB Hamilton, 531 140 

2. William Gray 531 140 

3. Robert Gray, 531 140 

4. William Brady 531 140 

5. John Brady 531 140 

6. Alexander Fullerton, 531 140 

7. Joseph Wallace, 560 100 

8. Jeremiah Jackson, 560 100 

9. Thomas Reese, 560 100 

10. Daniel Reese, ...560 100 

11. Samuel Ewing, 244 60 

12. Ann Ewing 278 

13. John Ewing, 460 

14. Hannah Ewing, 460 

15. William Ewing, 425 

16. Washington Hall, 460 

17. Henry Hall, 460 

18. Samuel Chew, 466 

19. ElishaJ. Hall 508 80 

20. John Ewing, 

21. Francis Johnston, 635 115 

22. Thomas Grant, 

,23. John Barron, 165 

24. William Wallace, 455 

25. James Davidson 471 

'26. William Davidson, 528 

27. John Davidson, 453 

28. Robert Davidson , 299 118 

29. James Ewing, 354 

Acres 13,185. ..P. 13 

Thirteen thousand one hundred and eighty-five Acres and thirteen 
Perches. 



BEHJ/!f/IIN 



;7V/ '/ 



REPORT 

FROM THE 






Siiperintenhitt 0f Crusts, 



IN RELATION TO THE 



BOUDINOT LANDS, 



SITUATED ON THE 



SUSQUEHANNA RIVER, 



IN 



Burnside Township Centre County, Pa. 






*- 



CONTAINING 13,185 ACRES. 



AND 



Report of the Re-Survey of the Same. 



BY JOS. F. QUAY. 



.. _- 



•'% 



PHILADELPHIA: 

HUFTY, STATIONER 

18 6 0. 



/ -J I 



■~BL1T6 



I 



Philadelphia, Sept. 18, 1860. 

To President and Members ) 
of Common Council. J 

■Gentlemen z 

I now proceed to give you all the information in my possession 
as to the lands situated in Burnside Township, Centre Co., Pa., bequeath- 
ed to the City of Philadelphia, in trust by Dr. Elias Boudinot. 

Until about two years since these lands have possessed but little real 
value, in consequence of the region of country being in such a wild 
state, although there were many persons who believed that Coal and Iron 
were there in considerable quantities : about that time a company was 
incorporated for the purpose of making a rail road from Tyrone, a town 
■situated on the line of the Pennsylvania Bail Boad, and passing near 
Ballefonte and Lockhaven on the w est branch of the Susquehanna 
Biver. 

After this company was organized and progressing by having the line 
•of road surveyed and contracts entered into there was a company of 
gentlemen, among whom were some residents of Bellefonte of great 
experience and excellent judgment, who purchased a large tract of land, 
say about forty thousand jacres, within about two miles of the southern 
boundary of the land held in trust by the City, and obtained an act 
•of incorporation entitled the " Snowshoe Improvement Company," and 
have built a rail road from Bellefonte to Dear the further portion of 
their lands, and opened two bituminous coal veins, one six and the 
other six and one half feet deep, of excellent quality, and also one 
Iron vein of excellent quality, about four miles from the land held 
in trust by the City, and on the same level, and I am informed it is the 
intention of the company to extend their road about two miles further 
in the direction of the Boudinot land, thus bringing them to within 
about two miles of direct communication with the City of Philadelphia 
by rail road to Bellfonte, thence by canal to Lock Haven, and thence 
by either canal or the Sunbury and Erie Bail Boad to the City. 

By some mismanagement this cross rail road company from Tyrone 
to Lock Haven have been obliged to suspend operations for the present, 
I am, however, informed that directors have been elected who are alto- 



gether satisfactory, and they express their entire confidence in being 
able to put the affairs of the company in such a condition as to enable 
them to finish the road next year, which will then give to within about 
two miles of the Boudinot lands two direct rail road communications 
with the City of Philadelphia, viz. ; the Pennsylvania and the Sunbury 
and Erie, the importance of which you are able to judge. 

In obedience to an ordinance of the City I have had these lands survey 
ed by Joseph F. Quay, Esq., whose very full and excellent report accom- 
panies this, and which I cannot too highly commend to your attentive 
perusal, and also a lithographic plan of his survey. 

The ejectment suits have been entered, and I am happy to have it in 
my power to say from recent information that the greater number of 
the squattors will not contest the right of the City to these lands but 
leave, whilst some two or three wish to purchase. At present there is 
but one who intends to resist the City's claim. 

The replevin suits are also in progress, and it is expected will come 
to trial this fall or winter, which I shall urge to a speedy conclusion. 

There are a number of persons who are desirous of purchasing timber 

leave, as well as several who wish to purchase particular tracts, and now 

with this information, I would respectfully suggest : 

1st. — That timber leave should be sold to such persons as can give 

ample security for the fulfillment of contracts, drawn with especial 

reference to the entire security of the trust. 

2nd. — That some person of mining experience and known capacity 

should be employed to proceed to the lands and make the requisite 

openings, and furnish a full and correct report of any Coal and 

Iron that may be found, both as regards quantity and quality. 

As there can be no continuous rail road communication from within a 

few miles of these Boudinot lands until, the Tyrone and Lock Haven road 

is finished, I should not think it advisable to sell the land, either whole or 

in part, until the road was completed, which will afford ample time to have 

the examination made as above suggested, all of which is respectfully 

submitted by 

Your obedient servent, 

CHARLES OAT, 

JSujp't. of Trusts. 



REPORT. 



To CHARLES OAT, Esq., ) 

Superintendent of Trusts, Philadelphia. ) 

Sir : — Under the agreement existing between the City and myself 
for the re-survey of the tract known as the Boudinot Lands, on the 
West Branch of the Susquehanna, in Centre County — I herewith 
forward you a diagram of the re-survey made of this body of lands, 
and also, a report of such examinations as I was able to make of 
timber, soil, waters, &c. In the first place, the official draft which 
was furnished to me of the body of lands in question, included three 
several adjoining tracts originally surveyed on warrants, granted to 
Charles Hall, 434 acres, James Hall, 388 acres, 96 perches, John Hall, 
396 acres, which tracts I re-surveyed, but at the time of finishing I 
found a clever farm opened on the east end of John Hall, and in the 
occupancy of one Dixon, who informed me the three tracts in question 
belonged to Henry Brokerhoff, Esq., a merchant residing in Bellefonte. 
I at once sent a message to him asking for the facts. Mr. Brokerhoff 
at once sent me his deed for the three tracts, dated January, 1855, 
executed by the Sheriff of Centre County, and sold as the property 
of Jacob Rothrock. This deed recites a deed dated June 12, 1844, 
from A. Reed, administrator of Peter A. Karthaus to William 
Iddings for the three tracts in question, also a deed from Iddings to 
Jacob Rothrock for the same lands ; therefore, we performed a great 
deal of hard labor for no good purpose : I shall therefore say nothing 
further about those tracts, and in order to fix the exact position and 
location of the lands in question on their southern boundary, I began 
at the north west corner of an old survey of 1192, and which survey 
I was familiar with, having surveyed it in 1840 for Mr. Gratz, the 
owner,then by division of M. O'Briaa and William McPherson tracts, 



6 

N" 2° E found the old line well marked at 320 perches, old pointers, then by 
old line of the John Irvin and Matthew Irvin tracts east, at 230 old 
corner, then by old line of Charles Petitt and Matthew Irvin north, 
320 perches old corner, then went to an old corner of the John Irvin 
and Matthew Irvin surveys, then by the Irvin tract and along the 
William Bell tract by an old line of 1792 north, at 320 perches found 
a corner, then along the line of William Bell and the Washington Hall 
tract west, at 156 perches, old north and south line of 1792. I then 
run east along the division of Matthew Irvin, Charles Petitt, Andrew 
Petitt, Blair McClanahan and George McClanahan, old surveys of 
1192, and the four city tracts in the names of Washington Hall, 
John Ewing, Joseph Wallace and Thomas Hamilton, and when we 
intersected the old N. and S. line on the eastern boundary, we had 
120 perches surplus measurement, which I divided between the two 
eastern tier of tracts, not equally, but adding 70 perches to the Wallace 
tract, which makes that block 390 perches and the other block 370 
perches east and west, and I there, for the first time, discovered that 
the city tract throughout would lack a full tract or more, (according 
to the various windings of the river,) from the southern to the northern 
terminus of the entire body of tracts ; because according to draft, the 
Thomas Hamilton tract should have intersected the south west corner 
of Robert Brady tract, instead of which we intersected the division 
corner of the Brady and Donnel tracts which I was familiar with, 
having been on the ground and surveyed 28 tracts east of the city 
lands in 1855. We immediately went to the corner apine of Wash- 
ington Hall, and chained north to the river, and found the distance 
sufficient for two tracts only, and 117 perches between Samuel Chew 
and William Ewing. We then began at a hemlock corner, 35 perches 
above the mouth of Miles Run, and took the courses and distances 
of the river down to the Robert Davidson tract at the mouth of Burns 
Run, a distance over 14 miles, and after the most careful examination 
I could make, and comparing my work with the map from the Land 
Office, I am satisfied to a certainty that no survey of the river was 
originally made /or the city tract • but on the contrary, the courses 
and distances taken and made in 1792, of the north side of the river for 
the Keating lands, was adopted and made to apply to the city tract by 
whoever had the work in charge in 1795. The survey of John Barron 



and Sarah Hall proves it. Barron, when properly surveyed and laid 
down is reduced to nothing, and as to Sarah Hall, there is not an inch 
of ground left for her, and many of the tracts along there are crowded, 
and the river made to yield so as to admit whole tracts when there 
is not room for small lots. I have carefully surveyed and so disposed 
those river tracts, that each one has all the land they can possibly 
have by following the original surveys as far as possible, and after all 
the crowding and errors committed in the original work, the difference 
between the former survey in IT 95 and my work is only 298 acres. 
I shall now proceed to that part of my duty which relates to soil, 
timber, &c, &c, of each separate tract, beginning with the survey 
highest up the river, surveyed in the name of Elisha John Hall. 



EL1SHA JOHN HALL, 508 acres. 
This tract, adjoins the river on the north and includes a large run 
known as Miles Run ; some 90 perches below the mouth of the run 
the mountain recedes from the river in a semi-circular form, leaving 
about 50 acres of land which is level enough for farming, but of poor 
barren soil and very stony ; that part of this tract above the run is 
mountainous for the first 1 50 perches south from the river, but when on 
the top of the mountain the soil is good: about 50 acres of this flat 
would do well for plow land, and had the timber been left, would have 
been very valuable ; all the large white oak and pine is cut and taken 
off; there is still a considerable quantity of both white oak and whit 
pine of middling size remaining, which can be hauled to the river 
without much expense. That part of the tract in the vicinity of the 
run has an abundance of good hemlock^timber, which can be taken to 
the river at a small expense, but most of the white pine has been 
stolen which stood in the vicinity of the run. This stream is large 
enough for driving saw-mills, and if this tract with one or two ad- 
joining tracts were in the hands of enterprising lumbermen, it could 
be rendered of great value, in the erection of a saw-mill and transpor- 
tation of the saw-mill lumber down the Susquehanna River to market. 



THE WILLIAM CHEW TRACT, 466 acres. 
This tract adjoins E. J. Hall on the east, and is bounded by the 
river on the north, a distance of 497 perches ; a flat piece of land 



about the middle of the tract on the river side, say 60 acres, will do 
for farming, although the soil is barren and partakes of sand. A 
small corner of this tract where the run passes through it, is well 
timbered with white pine and hemlock, say 40 acres ; the balance is 
stony, very mountainous, and has, like all the lands in the vicinity of 
the river, suffered by burning the woods, a practice which has been 
kept up annually since hunters and trappers first discovered the country. 



THE WILLIAM EWING TRACT, 425 acres. 
This tract fronts on the river 161 perches, and is broken up by 
mountains, occasioned by the Spruce Ruu with its numerous branches 
passing through it ; along the river the mountain is high and rugged, 
and very bare of timber ; but on the main run and branches, there is 
an immense quantity of hemlock of large size and good quality with 
some white pine yet remaining, notwithstanding the great amount 
which has been stolen off and taken down the river to market. I saw 
on this tract, near the forks of the run, the remains of a log house and 
stabling, which I am told was built by one Jacob Lebo for the ac- 
commodation of his workmen, whilst engaged in making and hauling 
timber from this tract, about 13 or 14 years ago. There is no part 
of this tract fit for tillage, nor is the run large enough in quantity of 
water to drive saw-mills. I shall have occasion to speak of this run 
hereafter. 



THE JAMES EWINO TRACT, 354 acres. 
This tract bounds on the river 505 perches, the mountains put into 
the river the first 300 perches below the mouth of Spruce Run very 
bold, then a flat of some 50 acres of land extends along the river 130 
perches, which might be farmed, although the soil partakes of sand, 
and besides, is stony. The timber on this flat has suffered from the 
burning of the woods, to a very great extent : from this flat the 
mountain puts in steep and very rocky to Bagher's Run. There is 
on the interior of this tract, a great quantity of yellow pine timber 
which is well calculated for sawing into boards, and brings a price 
equal in market to white pine. 



THE ANN EWING TRACT, 2? 8 acres. 

This tract extends along the river 355 perches, and is occupied by 
George Bearfield, who has a small log house and some land cleared, 
but I could see no fencing ; he has resided there some 5 years, with ' 
no title but that of a squatter. Some 40 acres might be cultivated 
on this flat, where Bearfield lives, of middling good soil. A great 
quantity of lumber is on this tract, such as white pine and hemlock, 
along Bagher's Run, all of which can be taken' down the run to the 
river ; on the mountain, between the river and Bagher's Run, the land 
js very stony and barren, unfit for cultivation, and timber destroyed 
by fire. 

THE SAMUEL EWING TRACT, 244 acres, 60 perches. 
This tract is bounded on the north-west by the river, at the north 
west corner of the tract only, and is therefore entirely located on the 
mountain ; it is level on the mountain, but the soil is very poor and 
stony, with considerable yellow pine timber ; but along Bagher's Run, 
the hemlock and white pine timber is abundant and of good quality, 
and which can all be hauled down the run to the river. 



THE JOHN EWING TRACT, 168 acres. 
This tract bounds on the river 266 perches, -the mountain along the 
river is high, rocky and steep, without timber of value, the fires from 
year to year having quite destroyed it. There is a deep ravine and 
run, which is now dry, running from the river through this tract south 
west) along which there is some white pine timber, and on the north 
side of the tract, where it touches Moore's Run, there is good hemlock 
timber which can be conveyed to the river cheap, as the distance is 
short. Upon the whole, this tract is of small value. 



THE FRANCIS JOHNSTON TRACT, 635 acres, 115 perches. 

This tract is opposite Birch Island, and extends along the river 

481 perches ; there is a narrow bottom of good soil extending along 

the river near the whole length of this tract, but not sufficiently large 

to admit of farming ; the remainder of the tract is mountain, and 



10 

mostly level, with considerable white pine timber, also chestnut, oak 
and yellow pine. The south end of this tract abounds with good 
hemlock timber, along Moore's Run, which runs through it; there is 
also quite a quantity of white pine on this tract. I (hid where great 
waste has been committed many years ago, by the timber hawks, in 
cutting and carrying off white timber ; there is a quantity now hewed 
and remaining on the ground, almost rotten from age ; there might 
be some land farmed ou the mountain, but not in quantity sufficient 
to justify expense. 



THE JOHN BARRON TRACT, 165 acres. 

This tract is 402 perches along the river, and the line dividing this 
tract from the William Wallace survey, runs along the side of the 
mountain, which is both steep and rocky. There is, perhaps, 30 acres 
of this tract along the river, level enough to farm, but the soil is 
barren and poor, besides being covered with large stones ; the timber 
on this level part has been destroyed by fire ; but the side of the 
mountain affords some white pine and yellow pine timber.; the largest 
and best is cut off and gone. 



THE WILLIAM WALLACE TRACT, 455 acres. 

This tract fronts on the river 352 perches, and has a large scope of 
land or flat next the river ; and was it less barren and stony, would 
make a good farm. A squatter named James Potter, a colored man, 
has a cabin house below the mouth of Field's Run, a few acres 
cleared, and claims under the improvement of George Gains, who he 
alleges, settled here 24 years ago ; he has no survey, nor have any 
of those parties paid taxes for this property ; ail the lumber 
of value has been stolen from the property. There is a lumber 
road up Field's Run from the river, entirely above the grant tract, 
and no timber of value remains. Even on the mountain, the pine 
timber has been cut away, so that the tract is of little value, except 
the water power and depot for the lumber and coal of all the back 
tracts, which must all centre at the river here. 



11 

THE THOMAS GRANT, TRACT, 460 acres. 

This tract is on the mountain, and on Field's Run it is generally leve'> 
except where Field's Kun passes through it ; there is no part of it adapt- 
ed to farming; the timber such as white pine and hemlock of good 
has been stolen long since, and therefore but little remains of value on 
this tract ; there is still some hemlock worth attention along Field's 
Run, and a good deal of white oak and yellow pine ; the stream (Field's 
Run) is large enough for mills, and besides a point of general deposit 
must centre at the mouth of Field's Run for the coal and lumber of all 
the country many miles south and west of the River, which makes the 
point now occupied by Potter on the Wallace tract of great value. 



THE JAMES DAVIDSON TRACT, 471 acres. 

This tract fronts on the river 112 perches, and extends back on to the 
mountains. There is no white pine of any consequence on this tract, 
but a large amount of yellow pine, and about 40 acres of it next the 
river is well set with chesnut, white oak and sugar tree, of good quality. 
Some 30 acres can be cultivated to advantage along the river. 



THE WILLIAM DAVIDSON TRACT, 428 acres. 

This tract fronts on the river 526 perches, and is occupied by Rich, 
ard Reed, who has a cabin, and two or three acres cleared on it; he 
claims under an improvement by one Thomas Smoke, who claims in right 
of George Gains, a squatter; none of them ever paid taxes for their 
claims. 

This tract is very mountainous, with the exception of some 40 acres 
in and above the run and along the river. There is a great deal of 
valuable hemlock timber, on and near Yost's Run, but the most valua- 
ble timber has disappeared long since by the hand of timber thieves who 
have been on this property over twenty years ; one Perry, whose cabin 
is on the John Davidson tract, and not over 8 rods from the division line 
of those tracts, has (as he stated to me) been in possession of the 
premises he occupies about 24 years ; his improvement includes the mouth 
of the Run, and not over 8 to 10 acres cleared land, all told. The mouth 



12 

of thi? run and vicinity will, like the one above where Potter lives, 
become of great importance within a very few years. The stream called 
Yost's Run is large enough for mills, and a vast territory lying south 
of the river at this point must pour in immense quantities of lumber 
and coal at the river here, therefore no pains should be spared nor time 
lost, in ousting those squatters, to wit ; Perry, Huling and Potter from 
these lands. 



THE JOHN DAVIDSON TRACT, 453 acres. 

This tract fronts onthe River 238 perches, one Hewling already noted 
lives on it. There might be in all 50 acres cleared on this tract of pretty 
good land ;. the timber along and near Yost's Run is all stolen that was 
worth taking. Thomas Perry has a snug iuprovement of some 20 acres 
cleared, a cabin house, &c. ; this improvement is on both the Robert 
and John Davidson tracts ; no person on the premises at present ; I saw 
a field of com, with hay and grain in store on the premises ; this property 
was first inproved over 40 years ago, by Isaac Herrington, who sold his 
claim to George Yost, who then went to Dr. Boudinot, and bought a part 
of the tract. Yost never paid any thing, but sold out to Thomas Perry, 
the present claimant, who is too poor to pay, the most of this tract 
extends on and over the mountains, and is of little value. 



THE ROBERT DAVIDSON TRACT, 299 acres. 118 perches. 

This tract extends. along the river 412 perches, and has nothing that 
is worth notice upon it, excepting that a part of the cleared land of the 
improvement in possession of Thomas Perry is on this tract, and a 
snug little farm is opened up with between 30 and 40 acres, under 
fence, with house, barn and orchard ; it is claimed by James Moore, in 
right of James Hill, who improved it over 40 years ago — he has neither 
warrant nor survey, the remainder of the tract is a high steep mountain 
of no value that I can judge of, except some yellow pine on the top 
which could with great difficulty be brought to the river ; the claim of 
Moore is at the lower end of this tract joining the William Wilson 
tract. 



13 
WASHINGTON HALL, 460 acres. 

This tract adjoins the old surveys of 1792, formerly owned by Mr. 
Gratz of Philadelphia, who also owned all the adjoining tracts on the 
south of the Boudinot lands, but sold them to the present owners, 
Rhodes, Smith & Co., who had a large lumbering establishment about 
two miles west of Washington Hall, which was destroyed by fire last 
Spring. 

In the remainder of this report, I shall not say anything about farm 
lands on either of the tracts ; because the country is too barren, stony and 
rough, with a. poor soil to admit of cultivation to any advantage; and 
therefore any advantages derived from it, must be from coal, iron ore 
and timber, of which I have no doubt, there is enough of these articles. 

The Hall tract is well timbered with white pine, on the western and 
middle portions of the tract, all of which can be taken to the river 
down Miles Run ; the tract is generally level except along and near the 
runs, and these do not afford hills of any magnitude ; there is also a 
great deal of yellow pine on the tract, and which is easy of access. 



HENRY HALL TRACT, 460 acres. 

This tract is also comparatively level, with the exception of some hilla 
along Miles run ; the white pine and hemlock timber on the western 
part of this tract is abundant and of good quality, and can be taken to 
the river at small ccst ; there is also plenty of yellow pine on it. 



JOHN EWING TRACT, 460 acres. 

This tract adjoins the Charles Petitt tract, now in part under culti- 
vation as a snug farm. The Ewing survey is generally level, and 
although on parts of it timber is scarce, still along its eastern part where 
the branches of Spruce Run pass through it, the white pine timber 
is plenty and of good quality ; besides there is much yellow pine on 
this tract generally — roadways can be made in any direction through 
this tract if necessary. 



14 

THE HANNAH EWING TRACT, 460 acres. 
This tract abounds with first rate white pine and hemlock timber 
along Spruce Run and its branches ; with a good deal of yellow pine 
generally over the whole tract ; it is easy and convenient of access from 
the south, the timber on it must go down Spruce Run to the river ; in 
fact all the timber on this tract as well as the adjoining surveys, can be 
hauled very cheap to the river down Spruce Run. 



THE JOSEPH WALLACE TRACT, 560 acres, 100 perches. 

This tract adjoins the old surveys of Petitt and McClanahan of 1792 
and i3 generally rolling land; the measurement from the pine corner, 
of John E. Ewing east to the line of Henry Donnel is 120 perches over 
the distance given on the office draft ; I therefore divided it by giving 
the Wallace tract 70 perches, which makes this 390 ; and to the next 
tier of tracts I added the other 50 perches; so that we thereby ob- 
tained great increase in acres. 

This tract has good and plenty white pine timber along and near the 
branches of Spruce Bun; with a considerable quantity of yellow pine 
scattered over it generally ; it is easy of access from any quarter ; there 
is a wagon road from the Snow Shoe turnpike to the farm of Peter 
Etter, noted on the Charles Petitt survey ; and a tolerable foot-way 
from the Etter House to our camp. 



THE JEREMIAH JACKSON TRACT, 560 acres 100 perches. 

This tract may be called rolling land, and because of two branches 
of Spruce Run passing through it, there is a large quantity of good white 
pine and also considerable yellow pine timber on it, with a good 
portion of hemlock ; but some of the higher parts of this survey has 
suffered much from burning of the woods ; this fatality attaches to all 
the mountain lands in our country. 



THE THOMAS REESE TRACT, 560 acres, 100 perches. 
This tract is so situated on the high ridges and out of the reach of 



15 

streams as to be without much white pine timber, except at the west 
end; there is some white pine with hemlock timber, near and along the 
run; here we discovered a great deal of old cutting and plundering by 
the timber thieves. There is a very considerable amount of yellow 
pine on this tract, which can be taken easily to the river. 



THE DANIEL REESE TRACT, 560 acres, 100 perches. 

This tract like the one south of it, is on high dry ridges, and has not 
much timber of value upon its middle or southern boundary ; but along 
the side joining Ann and Samuel Ewing, there is a great deal of pine 
and hemlock, with a general growth of yellow pine timber over the 
whole tract ; all this timber can be taken to the river down Bagher run- 

THE THOMAS HAMILTON TRACT, 531 acres, 140 perches. 

This tract adjoins the old survey of George and Ann Mc Clanahan on 
the south ; and is the only tract of our re-survey which includes any 
waters running into Beach creek ; this tract is rolling land, easly of 
access, and has no timber of value, except along the small run marked 
Beech creek, there the white pine is first rate, but] in small quantity ; 
this tract has suffered from firing the woods very much. 



THE WILLIAM GRAY TRACT, 531 acres, 140 perches. 

This tract is rolling land throughout; the east end of it has a good share 
of yellow pine; the west end along a branch of Spruce Run has excel, 
lent white pine, which can all be taken down spruce Run to the river. 



ROBERT GRAY, 531 acres, 140 perches. 
This tract is just rolling enough to be accessible with ease, and 
abounds with white pine on its north side ; also plenty of hemlock, and 
the middle and soathern parts has a good growth of yellow pine; all of 
which must go down Ba3her run ; there is no other way to approach the 
river with a road, and one cartway will answer for the transportation 
of all the timber in a space of three or four miles round. 



16 

THE WILLIAM BRADY TRACT, 531 acres, UO perches. 
This tract abounds with white pine, hemlock, and yellow pine 
throuchout, and is therefore very valuable ; the timber has been pre- 
served from fire by the runs passing through it ; it is quite accessible 
from the east, the country being level every way east of this" tract, with 
few or no stones on the land in the immediate vicinity of the white 
pine corner. 



THE JOHN BRADY TRACT, 531 acres, 140 perches. 
This tract is middling well timbered throughout with white pine, 
hemlock and yellow pine of good quality; the surface of this tract is 
middling level, with the exception of the south side, next Bagher's Run; 
it is easy of access from east or north ; the run, as already stated, must 
be the course down which all the timber must be conveyed from both 
the Brady's tracts to the river. 

THE ALEXANDER FULERTON TRACT, 531 acres, 140 perches 
This tract is not well timbered with white pine, still there is consid 
arable on the streams which rise in this tract. One called Moore's Run, 
which runs into and through Francis Johnston ; but the east half of it 
is well set with yellow pine, and the tract is mostly level and easy of 
access from the south; in fact there is no difficulty in making a road 
from this tract through the whole block to Etter's farm, and there is but 
one mountain (and that a low one) to descend, in order to have a good 
wagon road from Snow Shoe Turnpike to the river, at the mouth of 
Field's Run. 



ALEXANDER J. DALLAS. 

This tract, owing to the intentional wrong doing of whomsoever had 
the location of these lands in charge in 1795, is so put forth on the re- 
turn that it must come on the William P. Brady tract, which I re sur- 
veyed in 1855 for parties in Philadelphia — you will see at once, if the 
Dallas tract was placed adjoining the Fulerton tract, that it must crowd 
Brady on to Thomas Grant, and Grant on to William Wallace, thereby 



17 

pushing "Wallace into the river. Therefore there is no other way to 
dispose of and settle the location of the whole than to drop the Dallas 
tract entirely, because the want of ground is at the south side of the 
city block, from east to west, and one full tract or more from north to 
south, for instance : begin at the very lower end, at Burns' Run, and 
lay off the tract from the river as they are laid down officially, until the 
whole block is run out fully , proceeding south from the river till the 
whole number of tracts is included, then the Washington Hall, John 
Ewing, Jos. Wallace, and Thos. Hamilton tracts, with some parts of 
other tracts will be made to crowd over on the Charles Petitt, Andrew 
Petitt, Matthew Irwin, and William Bell, and the McClanahan tracts. 
It is better therefore to preserve the adjoiners on the south unbroken, 
and as the river tracts are very mountainous and of little value, to have 
the loss on the side of the least value. George Hall and Sarah Hall are 
entirely lost, together with parts of several other tracts. I ha^e care- 
fully calculated each survey separately, and noted the contents on my 
draft, together with a full account of timber, waters and water courses, 
and everything that I deemed of importance to the sale or final dispo- 
sition of this body of land. 

In relation to the Minerals which may be contained in these lands, 
I have made what observations the survey of the several tracts afforded, 
and although I make no pretensions to geology, still I know and then 
venture an opinion, which may go for what it is worth. 

First I closely examined a circular hill on the Joseph Wallis tract, 
near the run where our camp is marked, and from its appearance, size 
and form have no doubt of its containing coal and iron ; also, a circular 
hill on the south east part of the Thomas Hamilton tract ; I feel satis- 
fied that coal can be found on that tract, and also iron ore ; I mean 
white ore, such as is found in the Tangascootac Valley, lying east of 
these lands about 12 miles. 

There are also mounds or circular ridges on many of the tracts, such 
as I have discovered at the Tangascootac mines and Clinton County 
mines, east of this block of tracts, particularly the Jeremiah Jackson 
tract, the John Ewing tract joining Wallace on the west, and William 
and Robert Gray, north of the Thomas Hamilton ; all these tracts I 
have no doubt will turn out coal and iron, if properly searched for, be- 
cause these minerals are found in abundance a short distance west of 



18 

these tracts at the Karthaus' property on the river ; also south about 6 
miles there is a large business done at the Snow Shoe coal mines, where 
a rail road is in full operation from Bellefonte to that point. I saw, and 
talked with George Graham, a practical miner of note and character, 
who lives at Snow Shoe ; he says there is no doubt of coal and iron on 
those lands, and his opinion is worth a hundred per cent, more than all 
the books and maps put forth by Rogers on the subject of coal 
fossils, &c, 

Graham said he would be willing to make an examination during this 
fall and winter, if the parties owning would employ him ; I would 
strongly urge operations in that way, because should coal and iron be 
discovered, turned out and exposed to open view, the credit of the lands 
is established, and the sale of them made certain. 

And as to the mode of operating which should be pursued, in order 
to protect in some measure this property from the constant waste which 
is almost daily committed by a worthless tribe of vagrants who reside 
upon those tracts, and in the neighborhood, whilst along the river sur- 
veying we discovered large quantities of rail road ties made on the lands 
and ready for market, and hands busy making every day. I charged 
the Perrys and also one Huling and Sips who were operating on the 
Robert Davidson and William Wallace tracts to desist, but nothing 
will cause these depredations to stop, but the power of "Law," and how 
is this to be done ? why in no other way can it be effected than by the 
employment of an agent living on or near those lands ; the bare keeping 
an attorney at law at Bellefonte or Lock Haven to look after the tim- 
ber will not do — because the river tract, where the trespass is gen- 
erally committed, are from 30 to 40 miles from Bellefonte by the 
ordinary mode of travel, and the nearest tract 42, and upper one about 
•56 miles from Lock Haven ; now how can any attorney residing these 
distances from property protect them, or even take a passing glance at 
them. The only way is keeping a reliable man constantly employed, 
who resides near enough to be in constant watchfulness ; that very per- 
son you can have by giving Seth Nelson a regular power of Attorney, 
to see after the lands; he is a strictly upright and sober man, living 
north of the river, some three miles from Birch Island. I saw Nelson 
when I was surveying, and had a talk with him on this subject. He 
is willing to take the agency under a power of attorney, but not other- 



19 

wise. You may suppose the cost of keeping an agent under pay would 
be burthensome. I venture to say the whole expense of Nelson would 
not be fifty dollars a year, whilst the loss sustained in the want of a 
watcher is several hundred dollars annually. I could not convey to you 
any conception of the loss this property has sustained from inroads made 
by trespassers — Actions of ejectment should be instituted at once against 
the squatters, with writs of Estreponeut to stay waste. — I have now 
given all the information in my power respecting the surveying, waters, 
timber, &c, &c, in and about the city lands. 

JOSEPH F. QUAY. 



20 



No. 11. 
DR. ELIAS BOUDINOT'S LEGACY. 

Extract from the Will of Elias Boudinot, Esq., dated 3d July, 1821 — Proved and 
Eecorded at Mount Holly, N. J., November 3, 1821. 

,( As to all the rest and residue of my estate, real, personal, and 
mixed, wherever it may be, I give, devise and bequeath the same, and 
every part thereof, to my beloved daughter, Susan V. Bradford, my 
nephew, Doctor Richard Stockton, of Princeton ; Lucius H. Stockton, 
of Trenton ; Elias E. Boudinot, son of my late beloved brother, Elisha 
Boudinot ; Samuel Bayard, Esquires, and the survivors and survivor of 
them, his heirs and assigns in fee simple, as joint tenants and not as 
tenants in common, in trust nevertheless, and to and for the sole uses 
and purposes hereinafter mentioned, and to no other, to wit : 

" And on this further trust that my said trustees shall hold all that 
certain tract of woodland, situate, lying, and being on the river Susque- 
hanna, in the State of Pennsylvania, a little above the Sinnemahoning 
Creek, on the opposite side of the Susquehanna, containing a little 
more than thirteen thousand acres, and which I hold under Cadwalader 
Evans, Esq., by deeds dated the sixth day of April, 1797, and 2d of 
April, 1802, recorded at Williamsport, in Lib. A. 471, and in Centre 
County, in Lib. A. 190, and is contained in about thirty-two tracts or 
lots into which the same is now divided, as will appear by the patents 
for the same in my possession, having sold three of them, the original 
lots containing fourteen thousand seven hundred acres, to and for the 
use and behoof of the Mayor and Corporation of the City of Philadel- 
phia, by whatever name they ought to be called by their charter, and 
their successors and assigns for ever. This tract on its first appearance 
is mountainous and rough, yet lying on a navigable river, and as I am 
told by hunters who have gone over it that is well covered with large 
timber of every kind, and that in the midst of the tract there are many 
hundred acres of extraordinary rich level soil, covered with the finest 
chestnut timber in the country, and from which the largest rafts can 



21 

be navigated down the west branch of that fine river — and it is in con- 
templation to unite this river by a canal with the Delaware. I have 
thought it no bad foundation for the following purposes — and there- 
fore I do direct that the same shall be conveyed by my said Trustees in 
fee simple to the said Mayor and Corporation accordingly. The rents, 
issues, and profits of which to be applied by the said Mayor and Corpo- 
ration to and for the beginning of a fund, or in aid of any one already 
begun, for the supplying the poor inhabitants of the city and liberties 
of Philadelphia, with the householders (not able to provide it for them- 
selves) at a price duriDg the winter season not in any case exceeding 
the moderate average price of wood during the preceding summer (and 
that in small quantities) with fuel of such kind and sorts as to the 
said Mayor and Corporation may seem more likely to answer the pur- 
poses aforesaid ; and all moneys received for such wood or other fuel, 
shall from time to time be added to this fund, so as to increase the 
same for a more generous and ample supply as aforesaid ; and I hope 
and trust that in the execution and superintendence of this trust, 
persons of generous and tender feelings for the distresses of their 
fellow creatures, may be found, who will gratuitously and generously 
undertake this heavenly employment under the Corporation in favor .of 
the poorer class of society, free from pecuniary compensation. And I 
hereby request that in such case a silver medal of the value of ten 
dollars may faithfully serve in this humane undertaking out of the net 
proceeds of this devise." 

The first action of Councils in relation to this Trust, is contained in 
the following resolution, presented by a committee to whom the subject 
was referred. 

Resolved, hy the Select and Common Councils, That Joseph Reed, 
Esquire, the recorder of the City of Philadelphia, be authorized and 
requested, and he is hereby authorized and requested, to receive for 
the use of this corporation the title-papers of a body of land on the 
river Susquehanna, devised to the said corporation by the late Dr. 
Elias Boudinot, of Burlington, New Jersey, from his executors, and to 
give an acknowledgment to them of the receipt thereof. 

Passed January 22, 1822. 



22 

No further action was had upon this bequest until the passage of the 
following Act of Assembly : 

Act of Assembly authorizing the Sale of the above Lands. 

11 Sect. 2. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and 
it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the Mayor? 
Aldermen, and Citizens of Philadelphia, are hereby authorized to 
grant, bargain, sell and convey, by deed or otherwise, all and every 
part of the lands in the Centre county, devised to them by the late Elias 
Boudinot, free from all liability of the trust contained in said devise, 
and the proceeds of such sale shall be appropriated, under the authority 
of the said Mayor, Aldermen and Citizens, in the manner and for the 
uses intended by the devisee." 

Passed March 18, 1834. 



INDEX. 



Page 
Boudinot Lands, communication in relation to 3 

Report, 5 

Hall, Elisha John, Tract, 7 

Chew, William, " 7 

Ewing, William, " 8 

Ewing, James, " 8 

Ewing, Ann, " 9 

Ewing, Samuel, " 9 

Ewing, John, " 9 

Johnston, Francis, " 9 

Barron, John, " 10 

Wallace, William, " 10 

Grant, Thomas, " 11 

Davidson, James, " - 11 

Davidson, William, " 11 

Davidson, John, " 12 

Davidson, Robert, " 12 

Hall, Washington, " 13 

Hall, Henry, " 13 

Ewing, John, " 13 

Ewing, Hannah, " 14 

Wallace, Joseph, " 14 

Jackson, Jeremiah, " 14 

Reese, Thomas, " 14 

Reese, Daniel, " 15 

Hamilton Thomas, " 15 

Gray, William, " • 15 

Gray, Robert, " 15 

Brady, William, " 16 

Brady, John, " 16 

Fulerton, Alexander, " 16 

Dallas, Alexander J., " • 16 

Boudinot's, Dr. Elias, Legacy No. 11, 20 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




014 313 242 




